Henrickson to head planning department

One expects Ronald Henrickson would know a thing or two about public service after 20 years working within the ranks of government management.

But it's the bumps and bruises he's encountered along the way which may make his selection as director of San Juan County's permitting and planning departments, well -- ideal. No stranger to controversy, Henrickson will take the reigns of the county's most volatile agency, the Community Development and Planning Department, on Dec. 5.

A former director of community development in Mason County and its first-ever administrator, Henrickson was one of five candidates chosen to interview for the job. He was the unanimous choice of the County Commission and accepted the job on Nov. 15.

All five finalists were excellent candidates, but Henrickson stood out from the rest, Commissioner Alan Lichter said. "We interviewed five candidates and I'd put them all in the A category," Lichter said. "I'd give (Henrickson) an A-plus." Commissioner Kevin Ranker agreed. "He's head and shoulders above the others," he said.

Shortly before he accepted the job, commissioners bumped up Henrickson's compensation, basing it largely on the longevity of his career in public administration. They agreed to offer him up to $79,000 in salary, and reimburse $3,000 of his moving expenses after he's been on the job six months.

Hendrickson has extensive experience in the public arena. He was director of community development for the city of Blaine, Minn. for 17 years before joining Mason County and relocating to Washington state. However, it was in Mason County where the first of two ill-fated assignments derailed his career.

Hired in February 2001 as director of community development, Henrickson was appointed administrator of Mason County after the County Commission created the post. But the job was eliminated and his employment terminated when two newly-elected commissioners, both critics of the administrator post, joined the board in 2004. Mason County, with a population of roughly 50,000, continues to operate without an administrator.

At the beginning of this year, Henrickson joined Franklin County, Kan. as its first-ever administrator. But six months into the job he fell victim to what some observers call a power struggle among elected officials for control of county government.

In San Juan County, Henrickson will take over a department that's been rocked by massive turnover in the past three years. The department suffered the loss of two more senior planners with the recent resignations of Martin Blackman and Elizabeth Anderson.

Created two years ago through the consolidation of the permit center and the long-range planning division, CDPD has a full-time staff of 16 and relies regularly on consultants to carry out long-range planning tasks. The department is expected to generate about $700,000 in revenue and pay out roughly $1.1 million next year. Since May 2002, the two agencies involved in planning and permitting have lost a combined total of 12 directors, managers or senior planners.

County commissioners were aware of Henrickson's previous difficulties in naming him the new director. "We examined that, put it to bed, and it looks completely kosher," Lichter said.

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